Fullmetal Alchemist: My Father's Journey
by Gohan4
Summary: After searching and finding Alphonse thanks to the help of Hausenhofer, a collision on the head during the fight sends Trisha to the Gate. Later, when she wakes up she finds her father as an arrogant pipsqueak of a teenager bearing a State Alchemist title. Now she needs to find a way back to her time without her identity being revealed.2nd in Elric Generation Trilogy
1. Prolouge

S**o, thus starts another branch in the Elric Saga story. I thought of the idea of the story not to long after getting Chapter 5 out, and thought 'Now that she knows who Ed really is, why not extend it?'. So, I decided to throw this into the mix.**

** This was actually going to be a side-story, but I was like 'Eh, might as well.' and threw it into the series. **

**This is technically the 2nd book in the series, which I am going to label 'Elric Generation'. The first book is called Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: Elric Saga. I HIGHLY suggest you read that. If not, just read the prologue here. If you have read Elric Saga, I greatly thank you for journeying over here.**

**Enough chit-chat! Its story time!**

**Disclamer: Fullmetal is not mine, is all Arakawa Hiromu's. If I owned it...*starts grinning evilly***

* * *

Prologue

* * *

The Fullmetal Alchemist.

He's been called a genius, an idiot, the Hero of the People, and a dog of the military. He's also been called Big Brother, but only one person calls him that.

He took the State Alchemist exam when he was only twelve, and gained his license, sending a huge wave of shock throughout Amestris.

From a distance, he looked like an ordinary teenager who happened to have a Major rank in the Amestrian military who traveled around a bunch. But he was nowhere near 'ordinary'.

Many claimed this boy was an alchemical genius. I have heard of the things he accomplished when he was a State Alchemist, and his overall alchemical abilities. Some of things were crazy, seemingly impossible.

One was even taboo.

The word 'normal' can only stretch so far, and unless you consider a boy whose seen God three times, lost two limbs, and roams Amestris with his brother who has no physical body normal, then I guess Edward Elric fits that definition.

Edward and his brother Alphonse were born in Resembool, a small town in the East to Trisha and Von Hohenheim. The small family was very close, until one day Von picked up his things and left his wife with his kids.

Trisha and her two sons grew even closer after Von left. So when she got sick and passed away, the brothers were left distraught and in shock. So they took their alchemy they knew, got themselves a teacher to teach them alchemy, and studied for two years. When the two years finished, they went and did the one thing strictly forbidden by the law and by all alchemists.

Human Transmutation.

Bringing a person back from the dead is a basic definition for those not familiar with alchemy.

Human Transmutation breaks alchemy's law of Equivalent Exchange, a law I live a large majority of my life by. I mean, what could equal the value of a human soul?

Either way, through this event, Edward lost a leg, and his brother Al lost his entire physical body as a toll for opening the Gate.

Basically, Human Transmutation is just another name for 'opening the way to the Truth'.

Edward gives up his arm for his brother's soul (yes, he bleeding, just to put that out there), and bonds it to the armor his brother will wear for five years of his life.

This would be the start of a life-changing journey for the brothers Elric.

About a year later, Edward would go to Central for the State Alchemist exam, and successfully become a State Alchemist, earning the name 'Fullmetal' in the sake of his automail.

Using that title and the large seas of knowledge that came with it, the two searched throughout their country for the legendary Philosopher's Stone, a stone which could break all the laws of alchemy, including Equivalent Exchange.

This also led to the discovery of the plot put into action by the Homunculi, alchemically-created humans who possessed Philosopher's Stones as their hearts.

And, after about five years of searching, the journey ended with Edward gaining his arm back and Alphonse walking back to Resembool with a physical body. However, Edward lost his alchemical abilities in return to Al's body.

It seems that they couldn't escape Equivalent Exchange

After this, Ed and Al continued their lives, Al traveling to Xing to learn about alkahestry, and Ed heading west to study alchemy.

Ed returned two years later, and married my mother Winry. They had my older brother Theo Urey Elric a year later.

Two years later, I came along. And when I was six, we adopted my sister Sophia into the family.

We were a pretty normal family for a while there. When I was younger, I heard about car crashes and war and death, and thought that would never happen to us.

It seemed however, God saved the worst for last.

When I was eight, we went to go visit my uncle. We got on the train, and after about two or three hours, we got stopped on a bridge. A fire had broken out, and caused many explosion on the train. My mother went to go help some people caught in the flames, and never returned. My brother was sent into some bushes, and didn't come back. My sister was knocked out. My father and I fell into a lake.

However, I woke up an hour later, and my right arm was gone. Completely severed off. My younger sister was beside me, and everyone else in my family was nowhere to be found.

My sister and I managed to get to the last town, as well as a doctor to treat my open arm socket (ew, that even sounded weird to say!).

My uncle and aunt, plus my cousins Hoshi and Marie, let Sophia and I stay with them until I recuperated. And despite my uncle's wishes, I got automail to replace my arm. Because of this, he always called me 'so fullmetal'. Before I thought he meant I was stubborn. Now, of course, I know what he was referring too.

However, after about a year and a half, I ran away with Sophia to join the military as a spy. I thought that maybe I could gain information through this on my family's whereabouts.

This would be the start of a long journey for myself and Sophia, which would reveal my father's worse secret, and one of alchemy's secrets kept well hidden, even to the most gifted of alchemists.

By the time four years had passed, I was enlisted in the military as one of its best spies, and a 'very gifted alchemist, one who could be part of the State'.

Heading me was Brigadier General Roy Mustang, also known as the Flame Alchemist. Well known throughout Amestris as the last 'Fire Alchemist', Roy knew the Fullmetal Alchemist, when at the time, I had no idea who my father really was.

So when I came to join, they immediately sent me to his office. When I explained my situation, he quickly sent in a referral to the Furher.

A week later, I found myself on my first mission: get information down on a serial killer in the West. Supposedly, the man responsible was 'continuing the legacy' of another killer named 'Barry the Chopper'.

However, through these crazy adventures with my little sister tagging along, I never found one bit of evidence.

Until I went to the East.

I'm from the East obviously, so going back was very...nostalgic for one thing. On our way to our destination, we stopped at my hometown, Resembool.

Despite my feelings, and since Sophia begged, we got off and went to our old house, which became filled with dust from the years after the crash. It was abandoned.

We walked past our old school, which was in session at the time, and the graveyard, where we payed respects to our grandparents...both sets of them.

When we arrived, the lights were off, and everything was exactly where we, a family, had left things to return to five days after we left. However, four years passed, and I found the books in my father's study room scattered across the floor, which I had left. Sophia's dolls in her room were still sitting on her shelve, waiting to be touched. My mother's unfinished work was sitting in her work room, with Theo's laying beside it.

It was sad, to be honest.

Luckily, we managed to find a light switch, and turned the lights on for the first time in four years. The lights hummed to life, letting the memories of my childhood flood back.

We cleaned up the place quickly, wiping down the entire house and picking up the things left unfinished. We didn't touch Mom's workroom, though. That's a catastrophe itself.

After we did that, we realized that we had no food: it had all expired. So, we went down into the large town Resembool had developed into. We bought some food for the night and the next day and left.

On our back, however, we managed to collide with some friends from our old school. Yeah, they were much older than the last time I saw them, and I was considered a soldier, but I explained what happened to them and they understood.

That night, we slept in our old rooms. However, I didn't sleep. I couldn't. Not with my pillow being all wet.

The next day, we found out our train wasn't due till past sundown that night. So, we went back to our house and waited. Around lunchtime, a knock at the door set both of us crazy.

When Sophia answered it, she was greeted with a hug. Quickly, my friends started piling inside our house, some carrying picnic baskets and two carrying a blanket.

So that day we had a picnic with my friends. We had a blast, really. However, time flies when you're having fun, and before we knew it, our train was arriving in twenty minutes.

Bidding goodbye, Sophia and I leave our hometown and board the train, dozing off not to long after the train pulls out of the station.

The next day we arrived at a town called Walterby, which was a very non-touristy town. It was made for the military, nothing else.

It was here I first heard of the Fullmetal Alchemist. It was also here that my real adventure started.

'Everything as a mirror, a parallel, an alternate. Even God himself has a alternate.' I learned this from one of my father's alchemy books, and Sophia ran across something along these lines at the library in Walterby.

Later that day, a large hole opened up in the center of town, and armored men started climbing out. I managed to fall in after fighting one of these men, and when I got my surroundings back, I was falling through the air.

I ended up in a hospital, and my entire appearance was changed. It also ended up that I landed in a country called Germany.

After getting driven back to a man named Alfons' apartment, I ran into another man that looked exactly like my missing-in-action father.

Turns out, it actually was him.

Now, about a week later, I find myself caught between both sides of the same fight. In Amestris, I search for my family. In Germany, I help my father and gather info.

After meeting a boy named Daniel in the South, and revealing Sophia's real identity as some sort of experimental bird chimera with an alternate personality named Serena, he joins Sophia and I, forming the team 'Operation Elric'.

Now, Daniel and I are in the process of finding my uncle, who was revealed to be kidnapped by a man in Germany named Hausenhofer.

It sounds complicated, but somehow this man can go between both worlds like I can. I don't know how I can: I just...do.

However, in Germany, things are evil plans are brewing, plans that could involve Philosopher's Stones and some sort of beings called Hommunculi my father told be about in his stories.

My father's stories were all real, actually. I mean, he was THE Fullmetal Alchemist.

But, I never really thought of them much.

Now it appears that they are one of the keys needed to break open the lock.

My name is Trisha Nina Elric, daughter of Edward and Winry Elric, sister to Theo and Sophia Elric.

And it seems that the past can not outrun the future

* * *

**And thus it begins! Part two in my 'Elric Generation' (now) trilogy!**

**If you wish to go read the first book (WHICH IS HIGHLY PREFERRED) and then this, good. If not, fine.**

**If you want to read this because you're bored...well, you're on your own.**

**Reviews are greatly appriciated!**

**YAY! TODAY (June 19th!) IS MY BIRTHDAY!**

**I will be at Kings Dominion on June 19th, FYI. I'll be wearing my Dragon Ball Z shirt, and you will probably hear me when someone yells 'THIS IS SPARTA' or 'FOR NARNIA' on a coaster (preferably Dominator.)**

**Okay...**

**Byez!**

**Gohan4!**


	2. The City Of Hersey-Part 1

**Disclaimer: Fullmetal is not mine, just so you know. It can't ever be mine. Its too epic to be owned by me.**

Normal Speech

'**Trisha's thoughts'**

'_Past Stuff'_

* * *

**Chapter 1: The City of Heresy (Part 1)**

* * *

_"I need you to do a job for me, Fullmetal Jr."_

_"A job? Let me guess, you want me to go and kill someone for you?"_

_"Oh no...nothing like that. This little job of mine...It could even help you on your own search."_

_"..."_

_"And if you decline, the past will cease to exist!"_

_"Cease to exist?"_

* * *

As soon as she felt her surroundings, Trisha knew something was up.

Bursting awake, she found herself staring at a secured ceiling with a lamp hanging above her. Feeling the substance beneath her with her automail, which was luckily still connected, Trisha figures that she was laying on some sort of cushion.

Sitting herself up, the brown-haired girl notices that she sat in a small room divided by a single curtain running on a pipe that escaped from the ceiling not to far from her.

Beside her was the wall, ending the room. The thing Trisha laid on was a bed: pink covers were drawn over her body.

There was a bookshelf as well, and scanning the spines of the books, she found that each book had some sort of religious connection. A few were even some sort of bible.

Pushing her covers aside, Trisha swings her legs over the side of the bed to get up, scanning the floor for any sign of her boots or her coat, which was nowhere to be found.

"No way, how can I lose Al's coat?" she says to herself angrily, scolding herself as she got up anyway and started to search the area given to her for the dark-red coat her uncle had sent to her after the Walterby/Cameron incident.

Trisha's feet echo off of the floor, alerting someone on the other side of the curtain that she was awake and well.

Looking at the dividing wall, Trisha spots a shadow of a person walking towards the curtain on their side. And with a swish, the curtain is drawn aside.

"Oh, you're awake!" the girl says, letting go of the curtain. The girl had light skin, and appeared to be much older than Trisha. Her bangs were a dark maroon color, framing her face, while the rest went down to her waist and was a shade of black. "I thought you weren't going to wake up for a while, considering the conditions you were in."

This catches Trisha's attention immediately. "What?"

"You were very dehydrated, and you were unconscious. On top of that, you were laying in a large pile of garbage," the older girl explains, causing Trisha to grimace a bit.

'**Stupid Truth. Of course it had to let me land in a place like that.'**

"Really? I don't remember falling into garbage..." Trisha replies, pretending to act like she didn't know what had happened.

But Truth had her land here for a reason. The place she landed, as well as the person who found her, this girl, must be important. Important for her mission.

"Um, you wouldn't happen to know where we are, right?" the brown-haired alchemist asks, pushing her hair, which was let out of its twin braids, out of her face and behind her shoulder. "We are in Amestris, right?"

The two-toned girl nods her head. "We're in the East, in a border town called Liore." she replies. "Oh, and call me Rose. Rose Thomas."

Liore. Trisha had heard it before. It sounded so...familiar...

Trisha nods her head. "I'm Trisha," the alchemist replies. Holding out her hand, the girl Rose shakes it, flinching at the touch of Trisha's steel hand.

"S-Sorry," Rose apologizes, Trisha obviously noticing the girl's reaction. "Its just...doesn't it hurt?"

"Its automail..." Trisha finishes, running her flesh hand down her steel. "It hurts when it rains, defiantly, and its can be very heavy. On the other hand, it is much more durable in fights, and can be useful when it comes to alchemy."

Rose's eyebrow raises. "Alchemy? What's that?" she asks, having no idea what the science was.

"It's the science of understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing matter through the laws of equivalent exchange." Trisha explains, confused on how this girl didn't know about alchemy.

"Um...what?" Rose says, her mind spinning around in confusion. Suddenly, the two-colored haired girl notices something behind Trisha, hanging up on the wall, which was a clock. "Oh, I need to go deliver my offerings!"

Rose quickly turns around and walks back onto the other side of the curtain, pulling it fully aside to reveal a couch, a table in the corner of the room with a radio on it, a window that looked out over the town of Liore, and some boxes sitting near the window. However, what caught Trisha's attention as Rose gathered some food sitting on the table in a bag was something hanging on the wall.

It was a calendar.

And it read that the year was 1914.

1914.

She was born in 1920's, 1923 to be exact.

'**Son of a...why did Truth send me this recent into the past? Surely it had a reason...'**

"Excuse me, but what are you doing?" Trisha asks, pushing aside her confusion to address the matters that Rose was getting into, watching as the young woman got together some food in a paper bag.

"These are my weekly offerings to our god, the Sun God Leto. May he bless us with his holy light," Rose explains, picking up the bag, bowing her head quickly to send a prayer.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have seen a red coat when you found me, right?" Trisha asks, causing Rose to stop and think about the said object.

"Its hanging over there," Rose points to a hook in the wall, holding up the ever-so-familiar red coat. "Is it important?"

"Yeah, my uncle gave it to me when I was in the hospital,"

"Hospital? What for?"

"I...uh..had a skirmish and was found unconscious in the middle of a town square."

"Then ask for God's blessing to keep you safe. I'm sure that he will if you pray." Rose suggests, causing Trisha to tension up a bit.

"Um...but I haven't touched a bible in years! It would be to awkward!" She retorts, emphasizing 'awkward' to show her little interest in the girl's suggestion.

"Its okay, I'm sure Father Cornello would help you!" Rose replies cheerfully as Trisha grabs her coat and follows her savior as she leaves the small abode.

"Who?"

Rose gasps. "You've, never heard of Father Cornello?" she asks, taken aback by Trisha's reply. The brown-haired alchemist shakes her head. "That's a shame. Father Cornello brought peace and strife to this town. He taught us about the holy Sun God, Leto and his ways of kindness."

"Wow...that's some guy!" Trisha says, sweat-dropped as she sees the large smile on Rose's face.

'**Cornello...yeah, that has to be it...'**

* * *

Once Rose and Trisha arrived at the large church in the center of the town, they noticed that crowds were starting to gather in the square in front of the worshiping place, guards clothed in black holding them back.

Rose explained that there was a ceremony called a 'miracle gathering' that was performed everyday that showcased the 'magificent powers of Father Cornello, the prophet of Leto.', and that it was to happen in the upcoming half hour.

So, the two girls decide to stay and watch from a large distance, watching as time passed, and as the crowds grew so to such large amounts that people beyond the square were setting up chairs to sit and watch.

When the gathering began, a old, bald man walked out from the church, and to the applause and praise of the crowds. The wrinkles on the man's face showed age, and his stomach bulged like a pregnant cat.

The entirety of the 'miracle gathering' was just this old man, who Trisha found out was the 'prophet' Father Cornello, performing transmutations without obeying the basic law of equivalent exchange.

While watching the 'ceremony', and Rose be completely blown away by the amazing 'miracles' the old fart was performing, Trisha just stood, watching, thinking.

**'Truth. It said that this could help me on my search. How could getting sent back in time to the past help me?'**

**'1914. Dad said that was when his journey took a big turn.'**

**'Liore. That was the name of the town with the fake prophet Dad and Al debunked. Cornello was the name of the priest. Does that mean Truth WANTS me to meet Dad?'**

**'Man, I hope Sophia and Daniel are alright. Al too, he took some big hits as well.'**

**'This entire situation just became one hundred percent harder.'**

* * *

After the miracle gathering, Rose grabs Trisha's hand and whisks her to the church, inside, and to the large worshiping hall that was waiting for the two girls.

The hall had high ceilings that let in the some natural light, and bounced around the area. A large white statue of the supposed god stood at the front, holding somesort of spear thingy. A large table lit with candles (this is where the 'offerings' sat) sat in front of the towering statue, and pews stood in rows, taking up a large amount of the hall's floor space.

Once inside, Rose races to the front of the hall, to the table sitting under the statue. She pours out her offerings from a bag and spreads them out in a line.

The two-toned-haired girl gets down on her knees, clasping both hands together, and bows her head towards the figure of her god.

Trisha watches this, letting silence settle around the hall. Quietly, she starts heading towards a seat in the first pew. However, Rose starts muttering something, catching the alchemist's attention.

"O merciful God..." Rose starts, opening her eyes and staring up the fake Leto. "...please bring him back!"

"So, this is the almighty Leto?"

The sudden and new voice causes both girls to jump, and turn to look behind them, to the person who just spoke.

What Trisha sees shocks her to the bone, causing her to just stand in shock, staring.

Two people, one in a gray suit of armor, one in red, stood equal to Trisha. However, she did a quick double take to realize that her eyes weren't failing her.

It was her father.

Except he looked like a teenager and kept his hair in a braid. On top of that, the red coat of his had the same symbol Trisha had on hers.

No wonder her mom was attracted to him. Winry loved to tug on his hair

And...Trisha knew that hair antenna from anywhere. Who else could have it beside Ed or Alphonse?

'**Actually, now that I think about it...Theo has the same bangs as Dad... and the antenna!'**

Rose looks over her shoulder and stands up to face the two brothers, which was then Trisha also realized that was actually Alphonse in the armor.

'**I can't believe it. That's...really them? Ed and Al?'**

"Welcome! Are you two interested in Letoism?" Rose asks immediately, some excitement forming in her voice.

"Nope, can't say I am," Edward replies casually, grinning a bit. "We're not really the religious-type." He motions to himself and to Al, towering over him.

And with that, Trisha confirmed that this was her father in the past. She recognized his voice almost instantly.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. To know God..." Rose says, obviously discouraged that the brothers had no interest. She bows her head, smiling. "...is to know hope. If we believe in the divine grace, then through God all things are possible. I'm sure if you believed," Rose motions towards Edward.

"I'm Leto would bless you and make you grow taller!"

Edward hears and quickly takes offense, freezing up and having his anger build to large heights.

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?" He exclaims angrily, Alphonse noticing that his brother was going to lash out at the girl. So, he grabs his brother's shoulders and holds him back.

"Easy, Brother, she was just trying to help!" Alphonse exclaims, his voice bouncing off his armor in an echo.

Trisha sighs, sweat-dropping.** 'How could that NOT be Dad?'**

Letting go of Rose's comment, Edward goes over and sits in one of the pews in the front, laying his arms up on the top of the seat.

"What about bringing the dead back to life? Do you believe that's possible to?"

'**...Well that escalated quickly...'**

"Yes..." Rose replies in a flash, not having any second thoughts on the matter, bowing her head.

Edward sighs, reaching down into his coat's left pocket, and pulling out a brown leather-bound book, a travel log. He flips open to an already bookmarked page, and skims it until he finds what he is looking for.

"Water, 35 liters. Carbon, 20 kilograms. Ammonia, 4 liters. Lime, 1.5 kilograms. Phosphorus, 800 grams. Salt, 250 grams, Saltpetr 100 grams. Sulfur, 80 grams. Fluorine, 7.5 grams. Iron 5, Silicon 3 grams, and trace amounts of 15 other elements." the golden-haired alchemist recites, Trisha realizing what he was listing. She had heard him list it before, like all the times he was caught sleeping on the couch, or that one time...

"Huh?"

"That list represents the entire chemical make-up of the human body, calculated down to the last element, but," Ed starts, closing his book, leaning forward in the process. "There hasn't been one successful attempt at bringing a human to life. Your telling me something modern science can't do you can do with prayers?"

This remark angers Rose immediatly, causing her to burst in anger. "Lift you voice up to God! If so, the prayers of the faithful shall be answered!" she replies, anger churning in her voice.

"Did I mention those ingredients? The ones I read off? Down at the market, a kid could by every single one with some spare change in his pocket." Ed remarks, folding his hands behind his head, leaning back to rest his head, looking up at the ceiling. "As it turns out, humans are pretty cheap."

'**Man...my dad was an arrogant prick!'**

"What..." Rose stutters, standing still, not able to take in the information told to her. "No...we...we're all children of God! We were created...created in his image!"

Ed laughs a bit, backing up his argument even more. "You need to understand: Alchemists are scientists, and because of that, we don't believe in inprovable concepts like gods or creators. We observe the physical laws that govern this world, to try and learn the truth about it."

"Its ironic, really, that through the application of science, we have been given the ability to, play gods ourselves."

"Now you're putting yourself on the same level of God? That's...sheer arrogance!" She exclaims, her hands balling up in anger, while Ed repositions himself, crossing one leg over the other, and placing his secretly-good hand on his knee.

"Have you two ever heard the myth, about a hero who made wings out of wax?" Trisha exclaims, shoving herself head-on into the conversation/argument. This catches the attention of the two arguing.

"Yeah, actually. The hero thought that he could touch the sun, but then his wings melted, and he came crashing back down to Earth..." Edward responds to Trisha's question, catching a glimpse of the girl before looking up at his brother. "Right, Al?"

"Brother..." the giant suit of armor trails off, signaling to his sibling to do something.

Catching his brother's rhythm, Ed hops up from his seat in the pew and onto his feet in front of Rose. "I'm sorry miss, this is difficult of me to ask, but do you think your Father Cornello could save an arrogant scientist like me?" he asks, bowing towards Rose like he was a gentleman or something.

Trisha sweat-drops at her father's actions, shocked that he would dare to admit his arrogance. Also, with the way he just acted towards Rose, why would she even believe him if he wanted to know about the oh-powerful-mass-of-hydrogen-god Leto?

However, Rose easily falls for Ed's request. "Of course!" she exclaims, clasping her hands together in excitement. "If anyone can guid you to the Creator's light, he can!"

'**I should've guessed it...'**

* * *

"Father Cornello, there are visitors here who wish to see you. A child, and what appears to be a man in a suit of armor. They would only give their names as the Elric Brothers," 2nd-in-Command Cray informs to the top dog of the religion, Father Cornello, the fat and bald man Trisha had see at the 'miracle gathering'. "There is also a young girl with them as well, but appears to be a friend of Rose's just tagging along,"

The priest had been standing behind his desk, staring out of the window of his office to try and clear his mind, but was intterupted by his assistant.

"I can't be bothered now," the prophet says, turning around slightly. "Send them away,"

Suddenly, Cornello pauses, thinking again. "Wait, the Elrics? Are you sure that's what they said?" he asks, nervousness starting to form. "You're positive?"

"Yes sir."

"Damn, then this is a problem!" the Father exclaims, slapping his hand to his head in realization. "The Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, has come to call on us!"

This catches Cray off guard. "What? You mean the man in the armor?" he asks nervously, realizing that a State Alchemist had arrived.

"Dressing the part as well."

"But...why would a State Alchemist come here, to Liore?" Cray asks, quickly looking around the room and quieting his voice. "Surely they haven't found out about our plans?"

Father Cornello turns back to face the window fully again, trying to think of an answer. "It's possible that this dog's nose is too sharp for his own good,"

* * *

LATER THAT DAY, IN THE DUNGEONS

* * *

"This was please," Cray instructs to the group of four outside of one of the underground fellowship halls, opening the doors to let the young teens all walk inside.

"Father Cornello is a very busy man, however, he decided to spare a moment for you."

The group of four walks in a formation: Trisha in the front, Ed diagonally behind with Al by his side, and Rose taking the caboose roll. Cray lead the group, and two guards closed the doors behind them once entered.

Trisha sighs, knowing that this wasn't her place. Now she had to sit through and watch everything unfold before her, like she was watching a movie, except it was being filmed right in front of her.

"Yeah, we understand." Ed says casually, waltzing into the room with no precautions with Alphonse trailing behind him. "We won't try to take up all of his time,"

"Alright, we agreed then," Cray says, reaching in his shirt pocket and pulling out a small revolver, a motion the group can't see. "Let's make this quick!"

The doors close behind the group, squeaking as they shut. This catches Ed's attention, and easily figures out that something was going on. So, Ed stops walking.

Cray turns around, holding out his gun, pointing it straight at Alphonse's head. One guard surrounds Ed, using his spear to hold him back, while another does the same to Trisha.

"B-Brother Cray!" Rose exclaims, spotting the gun, becoming quite confused. "Brother Cray, what is this? What are you doing?"

"Rose, you need to understand," Cray starts, going into his explanation for a gun in a boy's face. "These heathens are here to ruin the father and the order. They are greedy, evil souls." he says, Rose stuttering. "This is God's will!"

Ed nods his head a bit, smirking. "Well then, like you said, let's make this quick!" he exclaims loudly, grabbing the man guarding him and flipping him over and onto the ground.

Noticing what Ed was doing, Trisha quickly elbows her guard in the gut, allowing him to lower his guard and let her slip away.

And since Cray was distracted, Alphonse takes the time to sock the man, knocking out two teeth in the process. And when Cray falls, he drops his gun, which slides over to Rose's foot, causing the girl to jump backwards in fright.

The guard recovers and goes after the girl, but is stopped when Edward kicks up one of the spears and throws it at the remaining officer, who falls down, unconscious, after getting hit in the head.

"Strike!" the alchemist exclaims, making a small victory motion with his arm.

"What's with all the commotion in here?"

Lo and behold, everyone looks up as in walks the man of the hour from the shadows, Father Cornello, who now stands on a platform raised up plenty feet higher than the group. However, a green parrot, one from the miracle gathering, sits on his shoulder.

"Ah, the ever-so-famous Fullmetal Alchemist! I welcome you to the home of our sacred order of Leto!" the priest says warningly, as if to actually welcome Edward.

Rose immediately sees this and smiles with glee. "Father Cornello!" she exclaims cheerfully.

"I will have to apologize for my disciple's behavior towards you. It appears that they have been misguided somehow..." Cornello goes on, explaining his reasoning. However, this doesn't pass by Edward one bit.

"So, let's say that I actually believed that you weren't the one guiding them. What's next?" Edward replies, demanding to know this man's plans.

"Alchemist, have you come to learn the ways of Leto?" Cornello asks, as if he was trying to dodge the State Alchemist's question by changing the subject.

"Well first off, there are some things I AM curious about.." Ed trails off, shrugging his shoulders. "Like how you've been using second-rate alchemy to deceive these people."

This catches the attention of Rose, who looks over at Ed in confusion.

"So I'm not the only one who noticed it," Trisha remarks, placing her hand on her hip, smirking, causing both Ed and Al to glance over at the girl.

"I'm sorry, but I do not know what you mean. What you see as alchemy are actually miracles from the Sun God," Cornello replies apologetically, placing his palms together, causing a red spark to erupt between them. Raising his hands, it reveals a smaller statue of the god worship that was built from nothing. "Can alchemy create something like this from nothing in this way?"

Watching this man's action, Rose gasps in awe at the priest's performance. However, Edward, Alphonse, and Trisha are not won over.

"That's just it. How can you perform alchemy without obeying the law of equivalent exchange?" Ed asks himself, rubbing his head, as if that would give him the answer he was searching for.

However, Cornello was not amused. "Like I'm telling you, because it isn't alchemy!" he replies, anger and frustration starting to boil up from inside him.

"But, then I started thinking about it. If you happened to get your hands on something, a certain something that could amplify your alchemy and break the laws," Ed continues with his fight, starting to add up the pieces for reveal the picture. "That would explain everything."

"What are you talking about?" Cornello replies, not hiding the shock in his voice.

"Its the ring, isn't it?"

Trisha stares up at the priest, who had been ignoring her, an arrogant look in her eyes. Ed even looks over to try and get a glimpse at the girl, but couldn't see past her bangs.

"A blood-red stone, one said to be legendary, so legendary that many have tried in the process of finding it. It goes by many names, but its easily recognizable by alchemists alike," she continues, beating around the bush until she decides to dive into the center. "The Philosopher's Stone. Your ring. That's it, isn't it?"

This causes Cornello to go into a small, quiet panic, while Ed starts to grin with glee, realizing that this girl was explaining his entire thoughts on the Stone.

"I've been looking for that," the golden-haired alchemist says, starting to walk towards the priest with a sense of greed.

Meanwhile, Cornello has finally found his ground again. "This is just a ring. I am God's servant. It is from God alone that my power exists from!" he exclaims slamming his statue onto the railing of the platform he stood on.

Ed shakes his head. "Still trying to sell that bit, huh? If that's the way you want to play this out, I guess I'll come up and beat some information out of you!" he remarks confidently, grinning as he picks up his speed.

"My, you really are an annoying brat," Cornello says, frowing. "Rose?"

The calling catches the said girl's attention, who now looks slightly worried for her sake. "Yes, Father?" she replies nervously, as if she knew what her task was already.

"Pick up the gun, the one beside you," the bald man orders sweetly. Rose nods her head, muttering an 'Okay', and bends down to pick up the revolver sitting by her foot.

"Now I want you to shoot the Fullmetal Alchemist and his companion."

This causes Ed and Al to look over at Rose, who had frozen in fear, her eyes widening and her hands trembling. Trisha bites her lip, wondering what the girl would do.

"N-no...Father Cornello I can't do that!" the two-toned-haired girl remarks, her entire body starting to shake.

'**I think Dad altered these stories a bit when he was telling them. Last time I checked, there was no mention of him getting a DEATH THREAT!'**

"Using your follower to do your job, a job that involves killing just to keep a secret in tact, that's just twisted." Trisha says loudly, catching Cornello's attention.

"Let's add this girl on the to-do list as well," the priest says slyly, causing Trisha to grit her teeth. "I am the Sun God's emissary, Rose! My word is Leto's!"

The priest looks down, glaring at the girl to do the task given to her. He opens one eye, smiling evilly.

"It's God's will, Rose. Shoot him."

Rose seizes up in fright, holding the gun closer to her chest, starting to wonder if this really was what the Sun God wanted.

"Why are you hesitating? When your fiance died in that accident last year, who was the one who took you in, who led you Leto's light?" Cornello asks loudly, causing Rose to look up in shock at the leader. "Have you forgotten?"

"It..it was you, Father."

"That's right! I'm the one who led you from the depths of despair, into the Sun God's glory! And do you recall the promise I made to you?" the priest exclaims, raising his hands to show the importance of the matter.

This causes Rose to get a new-found reason to follow the father's command. "You said that if I had faith you would bring him back to life!" she shouts, raising the gun, taking off the safety, and aiming.

Aiming towards Alphonse.

"Wait! It's not me!" the armored boy exclaims, raising his hands a bit in defense.

Rose blinks, lowering the gun a bit, looking over at Edward, who was about to go over the edge.

'**Here we go,'**

"DAMN IT I'M THE FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST!" Ed starts, waving his arms up and down furiously. "IT'S NOT HIM, IT'S ME!"

This catches Rose and Cornello by surprise, while quiet old Trisha just stood, sweat-dropped.

"It's the short one? Your kidding!" Cornello reacts, taken back by the real identity of the ever-so-famous 'alchemist of the people'.

'**Wait...The old fart just called Ed short! And Ed didn't react!'**

Rose readjusts her target and the gun, aiming towards Edward now. "I'm sorry...but this is the only choice I can make." she says, on the verge of crying.

"Can't you see Rose? He's been lying to you!" Ed replies, trying to find a way to change the girl's mind.

"You're wrong! I've seen the Father's miracles! He will bring him back! I have faith!" Rose exclaims, keeping herself steadily in place.

"Fine then. Shoot."

Rose's eyes widen, and bending her arms back, she gets ready to shoot. However, a large roar scares the girl, and cause her to close her eyes, losing her target. She shoots, and sends Alphonse flying backwards, his helmet falling off.

"Al!" Ed exclaims to his brother as the armor falls onto the floor, racing over to where his brother's head was, Trisha watching in silence.

Rose sees this and drops the weapon, clutching her face with her hands, realizing what she had done to the boy who wasn't her target.

"Very good, the Sun God is pleased. You've done well, my child. Now pick up the gun and shoot the other two as well." Cornello congratulates, motioning back towards the used weapon.

Suddenly, Al's armor starts moving, sitting itself up, Ed holding onto the helmet.

"Haven't you forced her through enough already?" Al's echoing voice asks as he stands up, giving Trisha the chance to catch a glimpse at Alphonse's empty body.

'**It...it really was empty!'**

This causes Cornello and Rose to gasp at the boy. "B-But, I thought," Rose starts, as Ed walks around in front of his brother.

"Don't worry, he's pretty solid," Edward remarks casually, tapping on his brother's armor, which echoes, revealing that nothing was inside.

Al bends over, and shows Rose that he was completely empty. "Yeah, see? No harm done!" he says, acting as if this was a normal scenario.

Rose covers her mouth in shock, letting out a squeak, as Al grabs his head from Ed's grasp and places it back in the normal position.

"A hollow suit of armor that walks and speaks?" Cornello realizes, walking backwards a bit, in shock. "Do you still doubt it Rose? This unholy thing is an abomination! Evil of this kind must be destroyed!" the priest claims, going over to a lever in the wall, which he pulls.

**'Abomination? That's mean.'**

Then, somewhere in the room, hidden by shadow, a gate opens, allowing a large lion-type creature to walk out and into the main area where the group was standing.

"And I believe my chimeras should be up to the task," Cornello exclaims, grinning evilly as he takes the bird on his shoulder and places it on the platform railing. The ring on his left hand glows red, and the bird grows three times its small size, gaining large claws.

The first chimera walks up to the brothers and stops, swaying it's tail back and forth.

"This is what you use the Philosopher's Stone for?" Ed asks, shaking his head. "Your twisted."

Seeing the chimera, Rose starts backing up, stopping when she nears a large pillar holding up the ceiling of the room.

"Oh well. Look's like I'll need some defense," Ed says casually, walking forward, clapping his hands together, causing a echoing sound, then placing them on the ground.

A blue light forms, and slowly, the floor is broken down and reconstructed into a large spear, which slowly rises up from the ground until it reaches a height slightly taller than Ed.

This shocks Cornello, who realizes that Ed had used no transmutation circle. "No transmutation circle? So that's how you became a State Alchemist!" the bald man exclaims. "However,"

Cornello raises his arm, signaling to his chimeras to attack. The lion chimera lets out a roar, and starts charging towards Ed, who twirls his spear around a bit. However, second chimera, the bird, was already within a few feet from the alchemist, and to close for Al to whip up a transmutation circle.

However, as Ed looks over his shoulder, noticing the second creature nearby, he freezes.

Suddenly, a blur of red flies by, light blue erupts, steel is sharpened, and the chimera is sent flying backwards.

"Watch your back," Trisha says over her shoulder sternly, raising her arms up into a fighting position. She motions Ed back towards his own fight, who looks back over, and just in time moves his spear to try and stop the lion chimera from chopping his leg off, while Trisha charges after the bird chimera.

However, the lion chimera severs off the top of the spear, and rips Ed's pants, cutting into his 'leg', causing Ed to grab his knee, as if in pain.

"Your spear is nothing for a chimera's claw which tear through iron!" Cornello bellows from his perch.

Ed smirks. "All you did was shred my pants," he says bluntly, as the lion chimera's claws suddenly fall off, as if they were sliced. He then swings his leg around and kicks the chimera backwards. "But I guess claws that can cut iron can't do much against steel,"

Meanwhile, Trisha was having issues with her own chimera, which was having the upper hand as if kept flying into the air.

So, when the bird came in for a charge, she transmutes her automail from the large fist it was and back into the arm sword she normally used, and manages to get a deep slice in the chimera's underside, causing it to fall onto the ground, blood seeping out.

Cornello sees this, and gritting his teeth, turns his attention only on the lion chimera. "Bite him! Now!" he orders as the beast gets up and charges back in for another attack, jumping up to try and bit Ed's head off.

However, the lion bites down on Ed's right arm instead. Ed balls his hand into a fist, and starts fighting against the chimera and its weight.

"What's wrong? Can't you get a good taste?" he says through gritted teeth, then suddenly kicking the hungry chimera under its chin.

The chimera falls down, knocked out, with a large thump against the ground. Cornello stares down at the boy in utter shock, spotting something sticking out from the tears in his coat's sleeve.

"Your arm..." the bald man says slowly, glancing behind Ed and at Al, who stood in silence. "A brother trapped in armor...well, well. It's clear to me."

Grabbing his coat by the right shoulder, Ed rips off the right sleeve from the shoulder, revealing his automail in its entirity.

"You did it, didn't you? The one thing alchemists forbid themselves to do!" Cornello bellows, Rose clamping both of her hands over her mouth in shock. Trisha looks over her shoulder, her eyes widening when she spots her father's steel limb, shining under the lights.

Ed raises his arm and motions his fingers, trying to taunt the priest. "Why don't you come down from your perch and try me? I'll show you real quick who the novice is!" he exclaims, his bangs covering half of his face.

'**I guess Truth DID want me to meet Dad...'**

* * *

**Sorry about this update...you know, being over a month late. My summer's been busier than planned...and I've been watching a bunch of anime...I can't write fanfic and watch at the same time.**

**Even worse, my iPad (where I do all of my writing, drawing, and watching anime) was wiped clean by my younger brother as a prank. I had to rewrite EVERYTHING. I had written half of this story...and it was gone...**

***Starts crying uncontrollably***

**So...ta-da!**

**Reviews of all type are appreciated!**


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